I also have the luxury of getting them straight from the farm (literally) and meeting the chickens! Lots of helpful information. 6pm Meal – 32oz green smoothie and 4 or 5 potatoes with brags liquid amino’s for seasoning. Now am pretty much vegatararian. I’ll put one together and see if it looks interesting enough to post here. The fruit smoothies are usually the organics mixed berries from Safeway which contain strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and I throw in some frozen pineapple and some ground flax. jodi. I became a much stronger runner almost immediately after switching to a vegetarian diet, and feel even better now that I’ve been vegan for several years. Simply select your gym at ‘sign up’, follow the next steps and become a valued member for free in just a couple of minutes. Bloated and tired is more like it. Fair question. Thanks for the post! I didn’t fight her too hard on this point because she can be pretty stubborn, but I’m aware of athletes, like some of those that you listed above, that do it and excel in their sport. Do you have any suggestions for getting the necessary nutrients on the go? I think he’s doen like 15 marathons in the first half of the year so far in addition to some awesome ultra performances. It makes sense that almost any well thought-out diet is going to be better over the standard Western diet. I know a few mostly-vegans who include yogurt in their diets because they think it’s so healthy. saving this for future refernce, i have a 14km run in aug this will help alot Great website.Taken some of your ideas and will be putting them into practice ASAP. .-= Nicki´s last blog ..Comments on a Blog =-. you have rightly pointed out that it is effort intensive but I have failed to replace my meat with anything substantial even after repeated efforts. U said i should ‘figure out’ how much i can consume but guess its too much= to lose weight do i need to starve myself? Hi Matt! In addition to my crazy budget, I’m also traveling super light (one 30L backpack), so unfortunately I can’t really carry a lot of food with me. Protein World has an excellent range of supplements to help you achieve your fitness goals. Hey Brian, I’m glad you found it too…that’s definitely my focus with the recipes I post: not fancy stuff, just fun, quick meals that are good for runners or endurance athletes. $85. I have on the contrary very different experience… I was very devoted vegetraian for many years (even vegan at some point) and eventually I started to eat meat due to poor endurance, constant fatigue, low iron… etc… I noticed massive difference in my performance, increased endurance in sports and quicker recovery after sport, improved skin and generally increased feeling of wellbeing. Thank you! I like your non-preachy flexible approach. Check out my vegan grocery list for athletes. It’s been a huge learning curve to say the least. About a year ago I started following the Thrive diet fairly religiously and noticed gains. Can you please recommend web sites or a list of “A day of a Vegan Athlete’s Food”, for example, or real quantities of each group? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Once I became vegan, I noticed even more significant gains. Gone raw 3pm Meal – 32oz green smoothie and 4 or 5 potatoes with brags liquid amino’s for seasoning. The information and resources shared by NMA are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any type of disease or condition. Then there are the strength and bodybuilding athletes like Robert Cheeke, Natalie Matthews, and Patrik Baboumian who not only excel on a plant-based diet, but have been wildly successful in competition. To be on the safe side, since DHA and EPA are crucial for brain health, my family and I supplement with these. $70. I should obviously still include it, but I was going a little overboard with protein and neglecting the carbs! JRusso from Portugal, Hi Matt. They started with one T-shirt that gave athletes an undeniable advantage, and they ended up completely changing the way athletes dress. I am looking for vegan meal planning& diet breakdown for fitness competitions. I’m sure you didn’t copy it. This list represents some common foods that will help meet the needs of most endurance athletes. It looks like I need more protein in my diet. About as much as it takes to feel comfortably full, but not stuffed. Thank you. Still, if you’re eating a well-rounded plant-based diet with a healthy mix of beans, nuts, and seeds, you’ll generally have no trouble getting more than enough protein from vegan foods. I have been a vegetarian for 17 years and I ran my first half and full marathons this last year all on vegie power. An athlete strives to become the best version of themselves that they can possibly be – always pushing, looking to improve and evolve. We are now in the know. I used to eat a lot of that stuff when I first became a vegetarian 18 years ago, but slowly over time transitioned to a more vegan diet. I’m “down” now to just eating a little wild fish, about 3 oz, a couple of times a week, along with lots of veggies, some fruit, whole grains (especially brown rice, buckwheat, and quinoa), beans and lentils, and some nuts and nut butters. Do you think there are enough people around here that’d be eligible? But in general, especially for endurance athletes, such ratios can be met with a variety of food sources. Protein World has an excellent range of supplements to help you achieve your fitness goals. The way I am, if I changed overnight, I won’t have stuck to it; I had to slowly train my body to ask for a healthier diet. Raam, the nomad thing is awesome! I am new to the world of vegan and running. But it’s not cheap, so I’m not sure that would fit in your $3,000 budget very well. I take a multivitamin to boost my B12, calcium, etc. Other people are the same way with bread, eggs, certain fruits, etc. Matt Frazier is a vegan ultrarunner turned soccer dad, best known as the founder of the No Meat Athlete movement and author of The No Meat Athlete Cookbook. I love the quarantine workouts as well. Thanks for such a great breakdown!! Eating that way is great. Thank you for share info, the nature is giving us the best. . Hey! Hey there,love thee blog been following for long now, i just cant seem to lose weight. Your email address will not be published. It does look good! I just ran a 5k near D.C. for an animal sanctuary and noticed they had several vegan running clubs there. Do you have some tips for this? All Rights Reserved. Not only in terms of fitness, but also in helping athletes and the health-conscious reach and maintain their goals and ambitions. Many government- and organization-recommended protein amounts seem reasonable, but then when authors talk to athletes, they say athletes need so much more. This site totally saved me! And I have to say…for some people, that means eating meat. So how to encourage him to eat protein based food and how to combine fats and proteins in his everyday meal. Those foods are still in my diet since my husband is not a vegetarian and they keep him more satisfied eating a vegetarian diet. I prefer to eat that over rice and I feel as though it works the same as rice and it taste so much better. Through much research, I am learning that an alkaline diet is the healthiest type of diet. Your guys’s post are all very positive towards your reaults but im a little worried because altough my preformance hasnt seemed to change for the worse, I tend to become more tired during the day and also feel more sore during my workouts and I feel generally weaker as well, along with a little shakey. I am just starting to learn to run, barefoot style, and a vegetarian newbie. I always felt like veggie diets were great for people who want to be lean and fast but not practical for people who want to be big and strong and the fact that I haven’t really seen any big, muscular athletic types listed anywhere as getting to their level on vegetables alone kind of suggests to me that I’m not that far off. This sure is a great read and comes at a time when diversification on the source of proteins is very important. Congratulations on taking that challenge! I eat very very healthy and get my proteins from soy and beans and humus mostly so im not sure where I am going wrong.Any ideas?? I think they often believe that becoming vegetarian is harder than it really is. No Meat Athlete Women's Club-Cut Cycling Jersey. He’s not too pushy (like so many are) and he’s got some great […], Way late to the party, but a fellow blogger sent this article to me recently. Here goes…. .-= RunToTheFinish´s last blog ..21.1 Long Run =-. I’d like to offer an alternative, a diet that is plant-based (or vegetarian if that’s as far as you want to take it), that’s substantial enough to support endurance training, can be adapted for strength training, and that’s delicious and accessible to new vegans. Great post, Matt! could someone tell me why soy should be limited? What is the dish that is up at the top with the garbanzo beans, Spanish rice, jalapenos, pintos, and guacamole? I’m certainly not meat-free, but this post is inspirational and makes me want to change! At No Meat Athlete, our mission is to provide world-class inspirational and educational experiences to support the growth and well-being of the plant-based athletic community. This is an increase of 100 percent from last year. .-= Raam Dev´s last blog ..Frugal Travel Report for May 2010 =-. I was a runner before I was vegan but I think the 2 go perfectly hand in hand. That’s hilarious. One of our Doctors at the Loma Linda Hospital is a vegan and still performing surgery at age 93!! Certainly, there are many more foods one could include; the idea here is to list those that can be found in common grocery stores and whose tastes aren’t too foreign. Joe, a Harford County vegan (or vegetarian, for me) running club is a great idea. Hi, I have purchased several raw “cookbooks” including some from the Boutenko family. Hi there I am just wondering if this can be done gluten free as well, the food regime I mean of course. I call it a flexitarian approach, and I see it as a do-able road to veganism in the near future. Where am I now? Once you’re used to eating vegetarian or vegan (and training on that diet), that’s when it’s time to consider getting more advanced — whether by ramping up the micronutrient density, experimenting with intermittent fasting, or even trying a vegetarian or vegan paleo diet. I swear I didn’t copy lol While he may stir up a lot of emotion from football fans, there’s no denying Tom is one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Fruit, veges, some grains (usually wholemeal bread occas, quinoa, cous cous, nuts and seeds, (i still use caffeine also), i use non gmo soymilk YES i was once ANTI soy- but with further research am not convinced its a problem in moderation on healthy people at all. Thanks! Also, check our Mike Wardian as another vegetarian endurance athlete. I eat almost no red meat. For me, not eating dairy is super important. Are there any supplements that people would suggest as vegetarians? I am concerned about lower protein amounts in my foods. Meredith, you changed your blog name! One of the things that I found was I was not getting enough carbs. Thanks, Matt! Have tou any advice? Thanks for listing the ideas and recommendations! would just like some feedback on this because I do have a fair bit of soy in my diet that I’ve gotten really used to. $70. But I run cross country and play lacrosse. I recently discovered (even though I’ve been a nurse for 6 years) that B12 is probably low in most vegetarians and can cause anemia. What do you think? Do you guys have a nutritionist on staff or can refer a good sports “Plant-Based” person to speak to? BTW, first comment, but I love your site! Simply click on your chosen perk to redeem, head to their site and instantly save yourself up to 75% on your order total – easy! Did you already post one somewhere that I missed? I usually do my workouts at 1pm so I have two meals on board before the workout and the 3pm meal makes a great post workout meal. What is that meal you have pictured above? Emma my baby dog is not happy!!! I am the mother of 12 children and currently in process of changing our family’s diet to raw. From the finest supplements and activewear to equipment, fashion and even your phone contract, as a member with us you’ll never have to pay full price again! However, 90 percent of sign-ups currently are women. I love reading your blog. Other key blood nutrients that may be low in the diet of the female athlete are zinc, vitamin B-12 and folate. ©2021 Athlete Perks. And I’m glad i made that decision. It’s hard for me to say whether or not giving up meat has helped my running since they both went sort of hand-in-hand for me. Finally, I also take iodine, zinc, vitamin K2, and selenium — foods that you can find in several plant foods, just not in abundance, and sometimes with questions about bioavailability. But it’d be nice to have a study to point to that confirms this. My name is Anthony, and I have been vegan for 7 months now and I agree with Bridget there is allot of trial and error. If you’re aggressively trying to build muscle, or if you’re just concerned about your protein levels, there’s always the option for plant-based protein powders, but most people won’t need them. When my mother came to the US, she was stunned at the amount of protein being consumed by Americans. In her opinion, diets that lack meat are stupid. Great post- especially love the section on staples. Can you please help me or at direct me to someone who can? I would add that blue-green algaes like spirulina and chlorella are also excellent sources of plant-based protein. What made me think of you is that they carry it dry sometimes, and add water when it’s time to eat it. Paleo diet has a lot of meat in it, is that the part you’re modifying or are you eating a lot of meat? Thanks very much for posting this list today. The majority of vegans I know over 45 are over weight or obese. I find that I don’t need the extra protein. Don’t be afraid to try new things. I now view food in a totally different light. And I agree on the lower protein- it helps significantly! I have never felt and looked better and I came from being on pain management for multiple spinal cord surgeries and sever chronic pain. I kept trying to say “it might just be a coincidence,” but the more I hear about others doing it the more I’m convinced it wasn’t a coincidence. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. See All. $10 raw meals I loved the way you have organized so much information in one crisp post. I’ve held this theory for a while that to eat meat is to absorb a lower form of energy. I just realized your tagline & my blog title are too similar! Why did I drink the milk from a cow? And you’ll find that it’s not hard to do. ), and some good fats. The vegan diet has been nothing short of amazing for me. Love your blog. Interested to hear what others are taking/doing, Hi Matt, I became a vegetarian when I joined the Seventh Day Adventist church but have never found website like this. I don’t see how that could possibly hurt! If not, fine. Thanks for sharing! I am still in the transformation period, and consider my diet about 90% meat-free. But you don’t have to take my word for it: There are plenty of world-class athletes (and not just endurance runners) that don’t eat meat. Obviously, what you want is to put on muscle, so I’d say it’s more about getting a lot of food (don’t neglect fats) than about getting any special “superfoods.” Load up on the lentils, beans, rice, nuts, avocado, some sort of oil (Udo’s oil blend is a great supplement that I take most of the time), coconut oil. thats MY list… :O) I am vegetarian for 4 years, but I didn’t pay enough attention to the diet. I substitute agave syrup for “maple” syrup, fruit juices instead of soda. About 200,000 years ago, the first hearths appeared, and there is genetic evidence that the human brain began to burn a great deal of energy (1). I have essentially been a vegatarian while saying I was a pescatararian for about 2 yrs. That suggestion is fantastic. Over 30 years later, she swears her body is still in shock, lol. But if you’re anything like me, you’re interested in much more than survival — you want to thrive. If your goal is weight loss, or if you train more or less than I do, your needs will be different than mine. I think the key is variety, eating lots of different whole foods ensures all bases are covered. Instagram Post by No Meat Athlete • April 25, 2021 at 10:42AM PDT. I’m thinking about becoming a vegetarian but i don’t know where to start. But alas, not for me. Keep up the good work and keep those blogs coming! Don’t get me wrong, I still have pain, but nothing compared to what it was and I am off all the medication now. i am pleased as punch too since i came up with my list all on my own!!!! I’m here with a message that, without a doubt, isn’t going to make me the most popular guy at the vegan potluck. Down the road, I may cut out all meat, all supermarket food, all processed food. I totally agree that ‘Ditching The Meat WILL Make You a Better Athlete’. I was just curious: what is the name of the dish in the photograph at the top, and do you have a recipe for it? I am thankful I found this, I go back and forth on a vegetarian diet; my hardest problem is at some point I just start eating sugary items, candy, cakes, and I think to myself this is less healthy than putting meat back into my diet and taking sugar out, I was also an athlete in the past, I was sometimes vegetarian, which is great if athletes know vegetarianism properly, so this article will be very helpful for them, I love being vegan and I love telling EVERYONE , yeah its pretty great, you work that vegan life!! Thanks for a great web site. Ive found that while I don’t feel good when I drink milk ( used to love my lattes), small amounts of plain Greek yogurt with berries seems to make my muscles happy after my daily 7 miles runs. Where do you live? These might help you. That staples section is great. Getting a wide arrange of food is definitely essential. Matt found he could run faster and longer when he began eating a plant-based diet, and qualified for the Boston Marathon and completed his first 100-mile ultramarathon soon after doing so. Our greatest energy source is the sun, and plants get a lot of their energy directly from the sun. I also agree with the lesser protein! Glad to have found your blog…being newly interested in adding more vegetarian items to my menu, I’ve found it hard to find basic ideas and not fancy chef-designed ideas online. I have switched to a vegetarian diet after having some intestinal issues over the past six months. How you eat before, during, and after your workouts is especially important on any diet. Hi Matt, Also, I supplement with a really good B Complex supplement, a Vitamin D3 supplement and Lugo’s 2% Iodine, about 5 drop in every smoothie (Those are the only supplements I use). Show your plant-based pride during workouts and races with our short sleeve, moisture-wick shirt! She says I eat too much protein and drink too many sports drinks and my diet is not as healthy as I think it is. Great, straightforward article. NOTE: Calorie-for-calorie, broccoli has more protein than steak: As athletes, we have the luxury of eating more calories than more sedentary people. Seems pretty approachable, doesn’t it?PS. To help, I’ve put together a no-stress vegan meal plan based on the way my family actually eats at home, or you can access a virtual plant-based nutritionist here. my new refreshing life changing/self growth blog (my personal change- quit smoking, veganism, barefoot run, chronic low back pain, etc.) 5 Key West, FL 33040 I was having a discussion with a friend about protein and vegetarian/vegan diets sometime ago. Certain foods aren’t even available (no oatmeal in rural India!). Looking forward to learning more. Athlete Perks acts as a helping hand to athletes by providing athletes with exclusive perks ranging from 10-75% off sport, health and wellness brands! And then it CLICKED for me. My staples are pretty similar to yours, though I don’t limit eggs or soy all that much (though I do try to limit highly processed forms of it — like soy meats), and I don’t use protein powder. Thank goodness so many more nutritionists are coming together and saying “a vegetarian diet is at least as good as the SAD.” Though – come on – we know it’s better. I become a much better cyclists after switching to a plant based diet. Lisa, 200 g? From gym-goers, to runners, to cyclists, swimmers, football players, endurance nuts and even busy mums! I am just delving into all you have to offer on your blog & loving every bit of it. well from reading a lot of blogs, but eventually it came down to exactly what you wrote. I love it. I’m much more dedicated to animal rights than I am to running, but it’s nice to hear that a vegetarian/vegan diet seems to help with athletic abilities. for newbies. So, whether you’re looking to gain muscle, get stronger, lose fat or get faster, their team have got all you need to maximise your performance. Best, It very well may be that the vegetarian diet itself was also a major contributor to the improved performance. These factors can reduce the iron availability for red cell production. via instagram.com. i am anxiously awaiting my No Meat Athlete shirt Initially, meat was consumed raw. I have been feeling so much more energetic and I have just been feeling so good. Matt- Glad to see you have a blog to help spread the word! my mood stabilized and so did my energy. $30. Is there something bad about soy, like high fat in relation to other protein sources? There are so many foods like Pinole and Chia that I probably would’ve never come across if it were not for this blog. We need more calories, in fact. I am still working out whats gluten free and whats not at the present, cheers thankyou. For a long time, I was considered about effects that switching over would have on my body. It makes sense that one would feel lighter, and once used to a plant-based diet would also have more endurance because you actually start to need less. I just recently cut our red meat, pork and chicken (still working on fish and shrimp) and this is a great guideline. 9pm Meal – 32oz fruit smoothie. I get my protein from avocados, nuts, broccoli, kale, etc. ! At annual exams, I have consistently showed great cholesterol numbers with no deficiencies. I have since transitioned to a modified Paleo diet and have not noticed any drops in performance (yet). I have always been athletically inclined, but lately, I have found myself getting tired after running or lifting weights. So I’m not giving up dairy entirely, but I do realize now what it does to me, and have to choose to have it sparingly and at very strategic times. With everything you need to make delicious and nutritious evening meals packed into one box and delivered straight to your door - how could you not love them? I was so worried about how I would still be able to work out the hrs I do without “enough protein”. @LoveLezlie is a Mom of 3, a vegan of 10 years, a writer, an editor for @BestOfVegan, a model and you’ll finder her in the incredible @TheInvisibleVegan documentary by @Jasmine_C_Leyva ! Just ran my first ‘official’ race as a vegetarian (only a 10k); placed first in my age group! Any animal fat is a big No, No for me. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed my blog though. At No Meat Athlete, our mission is to provide world-class inspirational and educational experiences to support the growth and well-being of the plant-based athletic community. Be the change and all that. Thanks for writing it — it is very informative, especially for a newbie vegetarian and a newbie athlete. I’m a runningback and I need to stay lean and strong and have massive explosion and speed. I am a vegetarian and this really helped me out when I read it. Simply put, LOOKFANTASTC® is the ultimate destination for all your beauty needs! What they (and most plant-based omega-3 sources) provide is ALA — which some people can convert into DHA and EPA, but not everyone. You’ve been a huge inspiration Matt. But I don’t know enough about it to say whether there are physiological differences that “require” that certain people eat meat. For example, do you suggest always keeping something like Vega powder on-hand or making nutrient-rich smoothies with local fruits and veggies? I also love fat free cottage cheese. Get free access to incredible perks and discounts so you can save big on the brands you know and love, Get free access to incredible perks and discounts so you can save big on the brands you know and love. I’ll definitely try your suggestions though! Your calorie ratios look similar to my normal diet as well with ~60% carbs, 20% protein, 20% fat Carmichael’s recommendations, though varying based on training period, are roughly: If you aim to hit these numbers with a plant-based diet, you should be just fine. Hop you’re enjoying a nice long weekend If I do not eat meat for few days even though I still have plenty of protein from nuts, and milk, eggs etc I tend to get very sore afer any physical activity, get muscle pains and fatigue… for me eating meat was a return to health. I like to cook it with vegetable broth instead of water because it adds a lot more flavor to the grain. But with all the fat that went along with it, all the fat that was a part of it, my body was really anything but strong and healthy. I’m really trying to get into the low carb gluten free way , have been a veg for 10yrs now and have been experimenting gluten free and prefer it or I should say my innards do! Great post Matt! My son is 4 year old and is going to soccer classes and we don’t eat meat. But I agree with others who commented – you have to find what works for you. She was arguing that you can’t run and be an athlete without some form of meat. Matt, a thought-provoking post. After years of steadily decreasing meat consumption resulting from healthy diet concerns, I went vegetarian late last year. And hemp is good for smoothies and energy bar recipes. As a member with us, you can always get a glorious 10% off on your Theragun purchase via our exclusive perk - head over there now! 12pm Meal – 32oz green smoothie and 4 or 5 potatoes with brags liquid amino’s for seasoning. What should i eat…..before, after & during my workout…..and the main thing is that i am a pure vegetarian and also a state level athlete. Perfect timing! Size. Warning: Don’t assume that because you get plenty of omega-3’s (in walnuts, flaxseeds, etc.) I use oat milk occas, rice milk, almond milk whatever floats ur non dairy boat :P. Keeping strong is a case of getting enough CALORIES and exrecise for your given desires. This is the link Vegan, high-raw, alkaline. Seaspiracy Encourages Thousands To Ditch Animal Products As ‘No Meat May’ Attracts 65,000 Sign-Ups ‘Absolutely Fabulous’ Star Joanna Lumley Says She Never Eats Meat Or Fish – Feels ‘As Fit As A Flea’ Vogue-Approved Vegan Pineapple Leather Nominated For Prestigious Award; Vegan Athlete To Attempt 3 World Records In Just 24 Hours Thank you so much. (See Brendan Brazier’s Thrive, for example.). .-= Erin C.´s last blog ..A Half in Under Two… =-. Vitamin D and two omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) are also recommended by many doctors. Even though I truly believe it’s possible to run well without it, I think some individuals have a hard time eating a balanced diet and getting enough nutrients when they don’t eat meat. Couldn’t live without various grains, hummus, nut butter, beans/lentils, lots of fruits & veggies. I guess if you want your diet to be vegetarian, not ultra-restrictive, and substantial enough for a lot of running, there just aren’t that many possibilities?